Flexible rolling curtain



Dec. 12, 1939. w. J. LAUFERSWEILER I 2,183,495

FLEXIBLE ROLLING CURTAIN Filed Jan. 6, 1937 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l 32INVENTOR WILL [AM J. LHUEFRSWE/ZER ATTORNEY5 1939- w. J. LAUFERSWEILER2,183,495

FLEXIBLE ROLLING CURTAIN} Filed qgn. 6, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORWILL/4M d- Lflt/FBPJWHLE/E.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1939 pairs r -Aer FLEXIBLE ROLLING CURTAINApplication January 6,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to rolling curtain ,c1o-

sures, and in particular, to counter-balancing mechanism for suchclosures.

' One object of this invention is to provide a rolling curtain closurehaving a counter-balancing device comprising sprocket wheels engageablewith the curtain, and arranged to store up. energy during the closing ofthe closure whereby to counteract the weight thereof, as well as tofacilitate the subsequent opening of the closure.

Another object is to provide such a closure which is especially suitablefor use upon truck and trailer bodies for inclosing the side and/or theends'thereof.

Another object is to provide a rolling closure of the above type,wherein the counter-balancing is accomplished by a spring within a drumwhich carries'sprocket wheels engaging the curtain, or lugs on thecurtain, or apertures in the curtain.

Another object is to provide such a rolling closure, wherein thecounter-balancing mecha'- nism" is contained in a drum mounted at adistance from the closure and connected therewith by flexible cables orchains passing over cable drums on each end of the spring drum. Anotherobject is to provide a slat type of curtain for a closure, wherein theedges of the slats are provided with'brackets having the combined effectof supporting a roller'to prevent friction and forming a seat forengagement by the sprocket wheel of the counter-balancing device,described above.

Another object is to provide such a bracket having combined means forpreventing end motion between the slats and for a seat to receive theteeth of the counter-balancing sprockets, described above.

In the drawings:

Figure'l is a vertical section through the closure andcounter-balancingmechanism of my invention, taken along the line l-i of Figure 3.

Figure 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of the lower portion of theclosure shown in Figure 1', looking toward the left thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical section along the line 3-3 Of. Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a slightly modified form of curtain and sprocketconstruction, wherein the sprocket tooth directly engages the jointbetween the curtain slats.

Figure 5 is a further modified form of curtain and sprocketconstruction, wherein the curtain- ,is provided with apertures throughwhich the teeth ofthe sprocket project.

1937, Serial No. 119,325

but showing the counter-balancing barrel construction inthe modifiedform shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Referring to. the drawings in' detail, Figure 1 shows the rolling.closure counter-balancing device' of'my invention as comprising a springbarrel l. .Which is tubular in form. and is supported on the endsupports 2 (Figure 3) through theintermediate agency'of'the sprocketWheels 3;.having hubs 4' extending; into the interior of the springbarrel i". ,A shaft 5 passing through the bore 5 of the sprocketwheels'3 and the bores i of the end supports 2, provides the actualsupporting connection between the spring barrel I, the sprocketwheelstandthe e'nd supports 2. Pins 8, passing through bores 9" in theend supports 2 as Well as through drill'holes it in the shaft 5, serveto prevent the rotation of the shaft in its end supports 2.

The spring barrel is provided at an interior point witha disc-like plugH fixed thereto by the pins ii2'extending through the spring barrel iinto the. sockets =i3'of the plug H. The plug it is provided'with areduced inwardly projecting portion- I4, havinga recess l5 adapted toreceive the end of a spiral counter-balancing spring 56,

coiled around the shaft 5 within thespring barrel l. The opposite-end ofthe spring 16 is seated in a recess: l1 in acollar: Hi,- this collarbeing secured to the shaft '5' by meansof apin i9 passing through thebore 2E3. Off the collar [8 and the drill hole 2i'of'the shaft 5 (Figure3).

:The end supports z are mounted in brackets-22 secured to guide members23, of angular cross section. Theg-uide members 2%, inturn, are securedto-otherangled guide members and; the latter are-secured to the wall ofthe opening for the closure. The oppositely facing flanges-:25 and 260i;the. angled guide members 23 and, M, respectively, provide trough-likespaces for the guiding of the closureup or down, in a mannersubsequently to be described. Fabric webbing strips, 27' maybe applied"tothe opposite walls of these. troughs in order .to deaden' the soundcaused by the rolling of the closure up or down (Figure 3).

The closure itself (Figures 1 and 2) consists of an angle-like bottommember 30 having a vertical flange 3I, to which is attached a roller 32,as by the pin 33 secured, as at 34, to the bottom member 39. The latteris also provided with suitable handles 35, whereby to assist in raisingand lowering of the closure. Secured to the bottom member 30 and to oneanother in a pivoted manner are the slats 36, having interlockingportions 31 and 38, respectively, on their opposite edges. Theseinterlocking portions are of curved cross section and enable the closureslats to be tilted relatively to one another without interfering withtheir engagement (Figure 1). These slats 33 are preferably of sheetmetal construction, thereby providing a strong yet light structure.

The opposite ends of the slats 36 are provided with guide brackets 39secured, as at 40, to the slats, and provided with upstanding lugs 4|adapted to be engaged by the teeth of the counterbalancing sprockets 3.The brackets 39 at their outer ends are provided with transverselyextending projections 42, having inner and outer arms 43 and 44,respectively (Figure 2). These inner and outer arms 43 and 44 cooperateto form a yoke by which the axle 45 is supported.

The axle 45, in turn, rotatably supports a roller 46 which engages theguide trough between the guide flanges 25 and 26 (Figure 3). The innerarm 43 likewise serves as an extension over the end of the adjacent slatto prevent end motion thereof. Thus the brackets 39 have the combinedfeatures of providing seats for the counterbalancing sprocket teeth,mountings for the guide rollers and anti-end-motion-preventing devicesfor the neighboring closure slats. The brackets 39 are likewise providedwith right-angled flanged portions 41-48, which serve to strengthen theouter ends of the brackets at the points where their end projections 42are connected to the main portions of the brackets 39.

In the operation of the counter-balancing arrangement shown in Figures 1to 3, inclusive, the counter-balancing spring I6 is provided with aninitial tension with the closure in its open position, by rotating thespring barrel in the direction of the arrow (Figure 1) before thecurtain is rolled over and engaged on the toothed sprockets 3. When thecurtain is lowered the engagement of the lugs M with the teeth of thesprockets 3 causes the counter-balance spring barrel I to be rotatedaround the supporting shaft 5, thereby winding up the counter-balancingspring I6 to a still greater degree. As the curtain is lowered to agreater extent the spring tension is increased correspondingly, hence, agreater counter-balancing force is automatically applied to oppose theincreasing weight of the closure as the latter approaches its closedposition.

As the curtain is being raised, however, this energy stored up by thewinding of the counterbalancing spring I6 assists the raising action,and results in the requirement of a lesser amount of force than wouldotherwise be needed. When the curtain is in its fully raised positionthe initial tension of the counter-balancing spring I 6 suffices to holdthe curtain in its raised position.

In the modified form of counter-balancing construction shown in Figure4, the lug 4| of the bracket 39 is omitted, resulting in a fiat-surfacedbracket 59 directly engaged by the ends of the teeth of the sprockets 3.However, the sides of the teeth of the sprockets 3 directly engage theouter walls of the interlocking portions 38. The spring barrelconstruction, however, is substantially the same as that shown anddescribed in connection with Figures 1 to 3, inclusive.

The modified form of counter-balancing mechanism shown in Figure 5 isgenerally similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, exceptthat the curtain slats 36 are provided with apertures 5I which serve toreceive the teeth of the sprockets 3, the sides of the sprocket teethengaging the edges of the apertures 5|. In other respects theconstruction is similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive.Plain brackets may be provided if desired, to support the guide rollers46 and also prevent the end motion of the adjacent slats 36.

The modified form of closure counter-balancing device of Figures 6, '7and 8 differs somewhat from the previously-described constructions. Inthis modification the closure and slat construction is similar to thatalready described in connection with Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, exceptthat the lugs 4| on the brackets 39 may be omitted because there is noprovision for their engagement by sprockets. In place of the sprocketsthe spring barrel I is provided at each end with cable drums 52, havinga grooved periphery 53 for receiving a cable 54 to be wound thereon. Thecable drums 52 are provided on one side with reduced hub portions 55,which are inserted and secured in the ends of the spring barrel I(Figure 8). One end of the cable 54 is secured, as at 56, (Figure '7) tothe spring barrel I, whereas the opposite end is secured, as at 51, tothe upper ends of the closure.

The operation of the modified form of counterbalancing mechanism shownin Figures 6 to 8, inclusive, depends on the fact that the spring I 6within the spring barrel I thereof winds up when the closure is drawndownward into its closed position (Figure 6). This stores energy in thecoiled spring I6, the energy being available to counter-balance theweight of the closure and assist in raising it when the operator sodesires. An initial tension may likewise be given to the spring I6 inFigure 6 by rotating the spring barrel I in a manner similar to thatalready described for Figures 1 to 3, inclusive.

Because the details of the closure in Figure 6 are generally similar tothose in Figure 1, the closure has been shown in diagrammatic form only,the minute details having been omitted for clearness of showing. It willbe understood that the spring barrel I in Figure 6 is mounted uponbrackets 58, which are in turn, secured to the walls or roof of thestructure to which the closure is applied.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my inventionsuch modifications as come within the scope of my claims and myinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a closure structure, a rolling closure having a plurality ofarticulated slats, a guide track, each of said slats having at its endan ofiset roller support extending along the end of an adjacent slat,and a roller rotatably mounted on said roller support engageable withsaid guide track, said roller being mounted with its axis adjacent thearticulation of each of said slats and its said adjacent slat.

2. In a closure structure, a rolling closure having a plurality ofarticulated slats, a guide track, 75

each of said slats having at its end an offset roller support extendingalong the ends of adjacent slats past the articulation therebetween, anda roller rotatably mounted on said roller 5 support engageable with saidguide track whereby said roller support simultaneously supports saidroller and prevents end motion between adjacent slats, said roller beingmounted with its axis substantially in alignment with said articulation.

3. In a closure structure, a rolling closure having a plurality ofarticulated slats, a guide track,

a bracket with a base plate secured to the end of each slat and havingan offset roller support extending from said base plate along the endsof adjacent slats past the articulation therebetween, and. a rollerrotatably mounted on said roller support engageable with said guidetrack whereby said'roller support simultaneously supportssaid roller andprevents end motion between adjacent slats, the axis of rotation of saidroller being disposed substantially in alignment with said articulationbetween said adjacent slats.

4. In a closure structure, a rolling closure having a plurality ofarticulated slats, a guide track,

a bracket with a base plate secured to the end of each slat and having asprocket tooth abutment portion thereon and an offset roller supportextending from said base plate toward an adjacent slat, a rollerrotatably mounted in an offset position on said roller supportengageable with said guide track, and a rotatable driving sprocket hav-5 ing teeth engageable with said abutment whereby to move said closure.

5. A roller unit for an articulated slat closure comprising a bracketwith a base plate adapted to be secured to a slat and an offset rollersup- 10 port adapted to extend from said base plate toward an adjacentslat, and a roller rotatably mounted in an offset position on saidoifset roller support.

6. A roller unit for an articulated slat closure 15 comprising a bracketwith a base plate adapted to be secured to a slat and an offset rollersupporting arm adapted to extend from said base plate along the ends ofadjacent slats past the articulation therebetw-een, and a rollerrotatably 20 v mounted in an ofiset position on said arm Whereby saidarm simultaneously supports said roller and prevents end motion betweensaid adjacen slats.

WILLIAM J. LAUFERSWEILER. 25

